Microsoft Paint + car park touchscreen = You already know where this is going

I'll just pay the- OH MY GOD

12BoC We take a trip to the seaside in our 12 Borks of Christmas as a parking machine touchscreen goes rogue... with inevitable consequences.

The fair city of Brighton has many car parks, all of which will charge the visiting motorist an eye-watering premium in return for a few hours of parking.

It appears that one customer has taken advantage of a distressed unit, the touchscreen of which is displaying Microsoft Paint (replete with a bitmap of the local council's logo) rather than the normal extortionate rates expected for a stay in Brighton and Hove.

Click to enlarge

It appears a fellow called "JOSH" has taken it upon himself to modify the image. We presume his artwork is intended to assist fellow motorists, unsure how to park. In this case, there are two smaller cars – perhaps Volkswagen Beetles – and a longer car, maybe a Volvo Estate, arranged in a space-efficient manner. Although it seems the larger car could do with some remedial work.

As for what JOSH was doing... perhaps H-elping? Or is this confirmation JOSH is H from Steps?

Register reader Darren sent in the picture, fresh from the lower level of the Trafalgar Street car park. As for the source of JOSH's enhancements, Darren had a go at poking the distressed device himself but reported that it didn't seem to be responding.

Meaning either this was an inside job, or it had locked up following JOSH's interaction. Either way, it is a timely reminder to ensure things are kept properly secured unless one's customer-facing application might fall into a heap and reveal more than one had bargained for.

Still, at least JOSH's defacement was only temporary. Even if it is one that a goodly number of residents in the city of Brighton and Hove – recently faced with piles of rubbish in the streets, weeds poking through pavements, and mysteriously appearing and disappearing cycle lanes – would likely wholeheartedly endorse. ®

A little ditty we are calling: The 12 Borks of Christmas '21

* ♬ On the second day of Borkmas, the bork gods sent to me: a picturesque Paint job...

and a Notepad where nary one should be